Council leader comments on latest cancer chemical developments in Thornton

Wyre Council leader Michael Vincent has called on the Government to make an urgent intervention over historic contamination in parts of Thornton by cancer-causing chemical PFOA.

Cllr Vincent say the issue is too big to leave to local councils and even the Environment Agency and is a national issue rather than just a local one.

He was speaking after it was revealed that blood tests carried out on residents in Thornton have proved two thirds of those tested have ‘high levels’ of the toxins in their systems.

The revelations came after a law firm instructed blood tests for 49 residents to see if their blood contained high levels of the toxic substance, following confirmation by the Environment Agency that three sites in Thornton were contaminated by the man-made chemical Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA).

PFOA is known to accumulate in blood and can cause cancer, immune system disorders, as well as high, bad cholesterol.

Cllr Vincent said: “People in Thornton are understandably very concerned about these developments and where their own properties stand in terms of possible contamination.

“They need to know and they need to know sooner rather than later, they shouldn’t be left to guess, because this is potentially a serious health issue and could also affect the value of their homes.

“Some people are asking what Wyre Council can do about it, as a local authority.

“This is far bigger than a small local council like Wyre, or a regional authority covering health, like Lancashire County Council or even a Government department like the Environment Agency, which has limited powers and resources.

“There are too many organisations trying to deal with it and when it comes to a serious issue like this, it needs the Government to step in and control it at the highest level, with a designated minister to take it on.

“The use of chemicals, the contamination of land and how these things can be properly dealt with, and how we can stop this happening again, is a national issue – and an urgent one.

“We need the “Polluter Pays” principle to be enacted, where anyone who creates pollution must pay for the costs of cleaning it up and dealing with it.”

The multi-agency investigation, including the council but led by the Environment Agency (EA), into the contamination by PFOA from the ICI site in the Hillhouse Technology Enterprise Zone was launched in 2024.

The soil testing found elevated levels of PFOA in samples taken from residents’ properties and nearby allotments.

The former ICI land is currently occupied by AGC Chemicals Europe, which bought the long-established fluoropolymers factory in 1999 and used PFOA as part of its manufacturing process. AGC says it stopped making PFOA in 2012.

The council has since issued advice to residents not to eat fruit, vegetables or eggs produced in the vicinity, while two allotments have been formally closed.

This investigation is currently set to enter Phase 4 but Cllr Vincent says that a parallel investigation by AGC Chemicals Europe itself is only still at Phase One.

AGC Europe announced earlier this month it will cease production at its Thornton site by December 31, leaving around 200 people redundant and raising some concerns about what it may mean for the investigations.

Cllr Vincent said: “It is clearly a worry that it is to close, although the parent company in Japan continues to engage with us and acknowledges they have a responsibility in this matter.”

After Environmental law firm Leigh Day instructed blood tests for 49 residents to see if their blood contained high levels of the chemical, testing found that nearly 70% of residents had increased levels of PFOA which placed them at a higher risk of developing health problems associated with the chemical, such as high cholesterol and some cancers.

A spokesperson for AGC Chemicals Europe, Ltd said: “We would emphasise that the UK Government’s position is clear: PFAS blood testing does not predict future health problems and can sometimes create unnecessary concern.

“For these reasons PFAS biomonitoring is not currently recommended through the NHS or private blood tests.

“The Hillhouse site and surrounding area has been dedicated to industrial chemical manufacturing for well over a century – long before AGC Chemicals Europe, Ltd. was established – and a wide variety of historical users have operated on the site.

“Since the wider multi-agency investigation is still ongoing and no formal determination of land contamination has been made under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act, we cannot speculate on future outcomes or next steps.

“AGC Chemicals Europe, Ltd. has been part of the Thornton community since 1999. The health, wellbeing and safety of our employees and the local community remain our priority.”